r.gopalakrishnan - cafral · intuition, self-awareness and obligations: lessons from life...

INTUITION, SELF-AWARENESS AND

OBLIGATIONS: Lessons from life experiences in

followership and leadership

Date: 29th November 2012

R.Gopalakrishnan

A. Analysis is essential, but can get you that

far only. After that, you rely on intuition.

(What is intuition? How do you nurture it?

B. A hidden enemy periodically retards your

career development and progress.

(Who is he? How do you befriend?

C. A career is born in the crucibles of duty

and obligation.

(How to view boss as a customer?

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Three Messages and a few Questions

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DECISION MAKING: why we lead our lives through intuition but

pretend to live through rationality

What is Intuition?

“I turned my chair to the fire and

dozed… the atoms were gamboling

before my eyes… my mental eye

could now distinguish larger

structures of manifold confrontation…

all turning and twisting like in a

snake-like motion… as if by a flash of

lightning, I awoke…”

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Knowledge

What you know you

know

Intuition

What you do NOT

know you know

Wisdom

Wisdom =

Knowledge + Intuition

Knowledge and Intuition?

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Finding order in chaotic masses of data

Four natural disasters: 1975 Haicheng 1976 Tangshan 2004 Tsunami 2008 Sichuan

Intuition involves pattern recognition

Intuition exists in sports

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Understand the concept of BRIM

Practise the cycle of ImOpCoRe

Use the value of emotional experiences

There are ways to enhance intuition

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P

L

C

The Concept of BRIM

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Two kinds: basic and higher order

Developed by

Appreciating context

Immersion & contemplation

Sensing at the edges of the spectrum

Filling the BRIM with emotion-rich stories

How to develop Intuition?

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Immersion

Openness Reflection

Contemplation

Practise the cycle of ImOpCoRe

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and obligation.


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Ref: Experiential Learning, D. Kolb (1984)

Learning happens only through doing

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Convince

Action

Debate

Comprehend Aware

Unaware

Communication Intensity

Others Top Management

Great Difference between Top and Lower Management Perspectives: the Train Journey

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Improves to anticipate

external circumstances

External changes

• Changing

stakeholder needs

• New competitors

• Changing basis of

competition Remaining

window of

opportunity

Improves on own past

performance

Organisational Transformation: The Strategic Imperative

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Yes to change. But how much and how soon? The Aeroplane Picture

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CCL’s trail blazing LOE (1980s) among 191 executives

Two questions: what happened / what did you learn?

TMTC-CCL research (2006) among 71 executives

The 3 Worlds Framework

The evolution of TMTC’s 3 Worlds Framework

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• You need to learn certain lessons which nobody teaches you

• You learn unique lessons by reflecting upon your own experiences

• Two people who go through the same experience learn different lessons

• You learn by integrating your personal aspirations, your motivation and your learning style

• You learn through experiences in your inner world, the world of relationships and the world of doing things

Key messages on HOW we learn

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Inner World (35%) World of Getting Things done (32%) World of People (33%)

Confidence Being execution and operation-savvy Managing and motivating

subordinates

Self-awareness Improving management and

leadership skills

Nurturing and developing

subordinates

Life goals Grasping the technical aspects of

running a business

Team management

Becoming humane Acquiring a broad organizational view

and strategic insight

Building relationships with

peers and superiors

Building credibility Becoming adept at decision making

and problem solving

Communication and feedback

Dealing with ambiguity Handling organizational change Customer orientation

Coping with setbacks

Developing flexibility and

adaptability

Integrity

Key messages on WHAT we learn

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• Every person is shaped by his crucible experiences. These produce positive and negative tendencies.

• It is difficult to eliminate negative tendencies. You can develop a heightened sensitivity to their presence and thus control their effects.

• Feedback about negative tendencies can come through explicit feedback. Most work acquaintances would not wish to offer any explicit feedback.

• The best feedback is from a well-wisher like a spouse.

Explicit feedback mechanisms

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• Since explicit messages and feedback are difficult to come by, you must learn to pick up implicit messages and feedback.

• Empathy is one way of picking up implicit messages.

Empathy is the ability to feel the other person’s feelings without being judgemental about the legitimacy of those feelings.

• Careful listening is another way of picking up implicit

messages and feedback. But nobody teaches us to listen. Observations of how deaf people try to listen offer lessons on better hearing.

Implicit feedback mechanisms

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Coriolanus story

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Flash of Genius story

Click here for the movie

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Flash_of_Genius__(how_do_you_protect_a_good_idea).mp4

The pursuit of a policy which is contrary to

self-interest in the times when the incident

occurred. Must meet certain criteria:

• counter-productive in its own time

• a feasible alternative must have been

available

• action by a group of leaders, not just an

individual

Definition of Folly

Ref: The March of Folly, Barbara Tuchman, 1984

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i. Can happen anytime with any group of leaders

ii. Impacts a large number of people when it happens

iii. Difficult to teach, one has to learn through others’ stories

Why the Study of Folly is important

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An example of folly: Vervet Monkey

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and obligation.


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Attributes of the successful career

Aim is to Sense – Serve – Satisfy: i. Accomplishment ii. Affability iii. Advocacy iv. Authenticity

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Thank you

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r.gopalakrishnan - cafral · intuition, self-awareness and obligations: lessons from life...

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